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Category Archives: This & That
The Flow of Time: DESIGNART TOKYO 2018
October moves into its final week and I am more acutely aware of the flow of time as my stay here is limited to the end of November. There are only so many days until Christmas, and in what will … Continue reading
Posted in This & That, Travel in Japan
Tagged DESIGNART TOKYO 2018, Grand Seiko Japan, The Flow of Time
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When Everything Claps
In Plautdietsch or Low German, a language used among Mennonites for more than 500 years, there’s a saying: Daut klaupt aules. Meaning everything claps. In English we say everything clicks to describe such a state of convergence. Monday’s International Class … Continue reading
Posted in Ikebana, This & That, Travel in Japan
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Food. Glorious Food.
Near the end of January as my first three-month adventure at Sogetsu Kaikan was drawing to a close I met Mayumi in the elevator of my apartment building. The cultural norm in Japan is not to engage with strangers. It’s … Continue reading
Showers and Blessings
Saturday evening I was about to go out for another round of exploring DESIGNART TOKYO 2018 when thundershowers hit the city. Instead, with soft jazz streaming I poured the wine, laid out the bread and cheese, and pulled out the … Continue reading
Week One: Valuable Lessons
The first week of ikebana lessons started well; however, the challenge has been huge. By Thursday of the first week I was punch-exhausted from all that jetlag, settling into my apartment and resuming classes entailed. To complicate matters, the steel grass … Continue reading
Ikebana: Revised Goals and Aspirations
Before resuming my ikebana studies at Sogetsu Kaikan, I had determined to do things a little differently this time. Last winter there were various challenges inherent in the move to Tokyo competing for my attention. As a result I … Continue reading
My Arrival in Tokyo
When you leave the old for the new, you know what you are leaving but not what you will find. ~Sicilian proverb~ *
Kicking Starting My Tokyo Days in Style at Beige
If you’re going to kick start the weekend on a Wednesday with a wine-soaked lunch, the two Michelin Stars restaurant Beige Alain Ducasse Tokyo on the tenth floor of the Chanel Ginza Building is a fine spot to do it. … Continue reading
Three Weeks to Takeoff
The Fall 2018 issue of PostScript: The Magazine for Retired Educators containing my article on last year’s ikebana studies in Tokyo arrived in the mail this week. The editorial team did a particularly fine job of the layout and thanks … Continue reading
The Right Response
Due to a milestone birthday earlier this year, on August 2 I enjoyed my first sailing on BC Ferries free of charge. When I pulled up to the ticket booth I announced the fact as I handed over my credit … Continue reading
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